Late arrivals among the 20,000 at Upton Park for Monday evening’s floodlit meeting with Servette F.C. of Switzerland discovered they had already missed the opening drama. The Hammers struck twice inside the first six minutes, seizing a 2–0 lead before the crowd had fully settled.

The first came in the second minute, a neat Jim Barrett – Harry Hooper exchange ending with a pass to John Arnott, who cleverly back‑heeled for John Dick to crash the ball home left‑footed from fifteen yards. Four minutes later a short corner from Jimmy Andrews allowed Doug Bing to swing over a cross which Arnott headed in with conviction. The third arrived in the 19th minute, again from a Barrett–Hooper move; the goalkeeper failed to hold the ball and Arnott, “Johnny‑on‑the‑spot,” tucked away his second.

Servette, shaken by the early reverses, gradually found their rhythm. After Mazzena had swept the ball across the field, Duret hit it smartly on the turn, the shot glancing off Kinsell’s head and into the net. It was a tidy finish and gave the visitors a foothold.

The second half brought more lively football. The Continentals threatened to reduce the margin until, seven minutes after the restart, Arnott completed his hat‑trick by heading home Hooper’s corner. When, following a good movement, Arnott laid the ball back for Barrett to make it 5–1 from close range, the Hammers were firmly in command.

Beyond the six goals, there was plenty to entertain. The Swiss contingent in the crowd lent a colourful soundtrack - cries of “Up Servette!” and “Allez, allez!” mingling with the home support’s enthusiasm - and the atmosphere remained warm and cordial throughout. As is customary on such occasions, the rival captains exchanged trophy pennants before kick‑off, and after the match both teams gathered in the Board Room for further courtesies. The Servette players presented their hosts with key‑rings bearing the crests of Servette and Geneva, receiving commemorative plaques in return.

One of the most delighted recipients was John Arnott. The 21‑year‑old amateur from Lewisham has been showing fine promise in our “B” and “A” sides, scoring 14 of our 54 Metropolitan League goals, and his hat‑trick on debut in senior‑grade football was the sort of performance any youngster dreams about.

To conclude the evening, Servette officials presented the Club with a silver coffee‑pot for the Board Room sideboard, accompanied by generous compliments on all they had seen during their visit. Altogether, it was a very pleasant night - good football, good company, and a memorable chapter in our floodlit international programme.